Rockies reliever Rex Brothers, right, is congratulated by catcher Wilin Rosario after closing out the Giants last season. Brothers has been one of the Rockies’ best first-round picks. (The Associated Press)

Excitement is percolating about Rockies pitching prospects Eddie Butler and Jon Gray. Rightly so. They have been impressive during spring training, both as pitchers and as young men.

Perhaps the Rockies have finally hit the jackpot with their first-round pitching selections. The track record up to this point has not been very good. Here’s a look back:

First-round Legacy
Pitchers selected by the Rockies in the first round of the draft during the era of general manager Dan O’Dowd (1999-2013):

2013, RHP Jonathan Gray, Oklahoma (3rd overall): Based on sheer talent, the hard-throwing Gray has a chance to be the best pitcher in Rockies history. In his first year in pro baseball, the former Oklahoma Sooner posted a 1.93 ERA and struck out 51 in 37 1/3 innings in rookie ball in Grand Junction and High-A Modesto. He’s looked very good in his first big-league camp.

Right-hander Eddie Butler has a chance to make his big-league debut with the Rockies this season.

2012, RHP Eddie Butler, Radford (46th *): There is a very good chance the talented Butler could pitch for the Rockies in 2014. Armed with a great, sinking fastball and a good slider and changeup, he roared through low-A Asheville, High-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa last season, compiling a 1.80 ERA in 28 starts.

2011, LHP Tyler Anderson, Oregon (20th): The Rockies have been careful bringing along the lefty, but at this point he must be labeled a major disappointment, as he has yet to reach Double-A. He was terrific for Modesto last April, posting a 2.86 ERA before he was shut down in May with shoulder soreness. He returned to pitch solid in August, posting a 2.11 ERA and holding opponents to a .196 average against.

2010, RHP Peter Tago, Dana Hills High School, Dana Point, Calif. (47th*): Tago has been a bust. He’s had command issues and the velocity he flashed in high school has been inconsistent. He’s walked more batters than he struck out in each of his first three years in pro ball. He finished up 2013 in rookie ball in Grand Junction and went 3-5 with a 7.14 ERA in 16 games (10 starts).

2009, LHP Tyler Matzek, Capistrano Valley HS, Mission Viejo, Calif. (32nd): The Rockies are holding out hope Matzek will eventually blossom, which is why he was added to the 40-man roster in November rather than be subjected to the Rule-5 Draft. He’s had a good camp so far, and even has an outside shot to make the bullpen. The 6-foot-3 lefty has struggled with mechanical issues and command and hasn’t come close to fulfilling the promise that prompted the Rockies to give him a then-club-record $3.9 million signing bonus. Matzek spent 2013 season at Double-A Tulsa, going 8-9 with a 3.79 ERA, 76 walks and 95 strikeouts in 26 starts.

2009, LHP Rex Brothers, Lipscomb (34th*): Until the Rockies signed free agent LaTroy Hawkins, Brothers looked to be the club’s 2014 closer. Combining a plus-fastball and a wicked curveball and slider, Brothers was Colorado’s best reliever last season. He finished with a 1.72 ERA, 19 saves in 21 opportunities and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s been tough on both left- and right-handed batters, always a good sign for young pitcher. However, he needs to walk fewer batters. The Rockies are counting on him to dominate in the eighth inning this season.

2008, LHP Christian Friedrich, Eastern Kentucky (25th): In early May 2012, Friedrich pitched two gems on the West Coast against the Padres and Giants, showing signs he had big-league stuff. But a subsequent back injury cut his season short in July and he’s he’s been battling back issues ever since. He made just four starts for Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2013, posting a 4.30 ERA but pitching just 14 2/3 innings. Friedrich, however, has battled back and is pitching relatively well in camp this spring. He has an outside shot to make the rotation, but likely will open the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs.

2007, RHP Casey Weathers, Vanderbilt (8th): Considering he was the eighth overall pick in the draft, Weathers turned out to be an enormous disappointment, having yet to pitch above the Double-A level. He underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2008 and in December 2011 he was traded along with Ian Stewart to the Chicago Cubs for Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu. He signed a minor-league deal with the Giants in December.

Rockies pitcher Greg Reynolds was the second player selected in the 2006 draft, but he never evolved into the impact pitcher the Rockies envisioned.

2006, RHP Greg Reynolds, Stanford (2nd): The Rockies made Reynolds the second overall pick of a loaded 2006 draft but he fell miles short of the club’s expectations. Among the other players picked in the first round that year: Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw and Tim Lincecum. A shoulder injury was a big part of the problem, but clearly the Rockies blew this pick from the beginning. Reynolds was traded to the Rangers in 2008 for minor-league first baseman Chad Tracy, son of then-manager Jim Tracy. Reynolds, who made five starts for the Reds in 2013, finished his big-league career with a 7.01 ERA. In December, he signed with the Seibu Lions in Japan.

2005, RHP Chaz, Roe Lafayette HS, Lexington, Ky. (32nd*): It wasn’t until 2013 that Roe finally made it to the majors, pitching 22 2/3 innings of relief for Arizona. He was traded from the Rockies to the Mariners in December 2010 for Jose Lopez. He was selected by the Rangers off waivers in November.

2002, LHP Jeff Francis, University of British Columbia (9th): Francis is one of the most accomplished pitchers in Rockies history. He went 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA in 2007 and earned victories in the NLDS and NLCS. He missed all of the 2009 season because of shoulder surgery and then pitched for the Royals in 2011 before rejoining the Rockies for parts of 2012-13. He signed a minor-league contract with the Reds and is in camp with them this spring.

2000, RHP Matt Harrington, Palmdale HS, Palmdale, Calif. (7th): The strapping 6-foot-4 Harrington was the first pick of the O’Dowd era. He never even signed with Colorado, inexplicably turning down offers of $4.9 million over eight years after acrimonious negotiations with the Rockies. He later turned down a lucrative offer from the Padres and he ended up pitching for an independent minor-league team.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.